What Axle Do I Have?

[dstig1]

Cool. Welds look nice. I'd call those gussets, not fish plates. But that's just me.

The limited DC headroom on that welder is why I went looking and upgraded when I found something. It was easy to bump up against that limit, I found.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Cool. Welds look nice. I'd call those gussets, not fish plates. But that's just me.

The limited DC headroom on that welder is why I went looking and upgraded when I found something. It was easy to bump up against that limit, I found.

Gussets is probably the right word. My brother-in-law always calls them fish plates, and it just stuck in my head that way.

I figure if I need more power in my welder I can switch to AC.

I did more building today. I had some great pictures of the tongue all mounted on the trailer, but for some reason I can't get them off the camera tonight. I also cut and drilled my brackets for the fender mounts.

I still need to fabricate my tongue latch, drill holes and mount the fenders, and hang lights.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I went and took another picture. I actually had to dig out the user's manual to learn how to format memory cards on this camera. It works now. It's one of the original digital cameras, so the technology is pretty old. I keep it around for tractor pictures, etc. so that I can keep the newer digital camera nice.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Looking good.

Chris

 

[TheTrailerGuy]

Here's my trailer axle spindle (see picture). I'm ready to buy the stuff I need to add brakes, but I need to know what axle I have so I can order the parts.

The bolt pattern is 5 on 4.75 (based on the fact that from lug center to the center of the next lug is 2.8")
The seal is 1 7/8"
The inner bearing I.D. is 1 1/4"
The outer bearing I.D. is 3/4"

I'm pretty sure of these measurements as they were measured with a micrometer and the dial was right on for all of them.

I also measured the axle tube. It's 2 9/16". This one may be smaller due to the build up of rust and dirt.

Any help is appreciated.

Forgive me if this has all been answered somewhere else, but it looks like a West Coast plant built Dexter 3,500lb drop axle (they always used square tube while midwest and east coast units have round tube axles... and even Dexter could never answer me why that was) with PR4B springs, which are pretty well used up. Call Century wheel if you are out west. they'll have all the pieces to get you fixed up.

 

[TheTrailerGuy]

I went and took another picture. I actually had to dig out the user's manual to learn how to format memory cards on this camera. It works now. It's one of the original digital cameras, so the technology is pretty old. I keep it around for tractor pictures, etc. so that I can keep the newer digital camera nice.

So, are you going to open a trailer plant out there now? Looks like you have the chops for it! Good work.

One tip for mounting fenders. Measure where your real axle is from the frame where it sits, add one inch for good measure (if you are always going to run the same tire and wheel), measure up from the top of the tire and set your fenders at that height from on both sides (level with the frame, course). Your fenders will probably sit a little closer to the tires, which keeps them out of the way up top... and it makes your trailer look all lowered down and cool!

 

[Iplayfarmer]

So, are you going to open a trailer plant out there now? Looks like you have the chops for it! Good work.

Thanks for the compliment, but no trailer plant here. For the amount of time I have in this thing I'd have to charge 6X what the local dealer charges if I wanted to make a living at it.

Don't get me wrong. I've enjoyed the work. I really like designing, fabricating, and all the stuff that goes with it. It just came at the wrong time. If you remember from earlier posts, this axle swap was supposed to be an afternoon project. Here I am a month and a half later, and I'm still not quite done. Spring is always busy for me. If I'd have known what this project would entail, I'd have put it off until late summer.

One tip for mounting fenders. Measure where your real axle is from the frame where it sits, add one inch for good measure (if you are always going to run the same tire and wheel), measure up from the top of the tire and set your fenders at that height from on both sides (level with the frame, course). Your fenders will probably sit a little closer to the tires, which keeps them out of the way up top... and it makes your trailer look all lowered down and cool!

Thanks for the tip on the fenders.

 

[TheTrailerGuy]

Thanks for the compliment, but no trailer plant here. For the amount of time I have in this thing I'd have to charge 6X what the local dealer charges if I wanted to make a living at it.

Don't get me wrong. I've enjoyed the work. I really like designing, fabricating, and all the stuff that goes with it. It just came at the wrong time. If you remember from earlier posts, this axle swap was supposed to be an afternoon project. Here I am a month and a half later, and I'm still not quite done. Spring is always busy for me. If I'd have known what this project would entail, I'd have put it off until late summer.




Thanks for the tip on the fenders.

Just to clarify, all you want to do is determine how tall your tires are above the side of the trailer when the axles are completely bottomed out and mount your fenders 1" higher than that. .. i read my post again wasn't even sure what i myself wrote there.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Just to clarify, all you want to do is determine how tall your tires are above the side of the trailer when the axles are completely bottomed out and mount your fenders 1" higher than that. .. i read my post again wasn't even sure what i myself wrote there.

Thanks for the clarification. That's pretty much what I had in mind. I understand that I should measure the distance from the top of the axle to the bottom of the frame. Add an inch to that measurement, and mount the fenders that far above the tires.

Any suggestions on how to mount a brace of some sort in between the two tires to strengthen the fenders? I have a few ideas, but they all become complicated when I try to make the fenders removable.

 

[dstig1]

Perhaps just a brace that the fender sits on in the middle without securing to it?

I've been thinking of replacing the fenders on mine with some diamond plate ones I would make that are stury enough to stand on. My solution is something like 12 ga steel. Then they should be plenty sturdy. If I ever bother to get around to it...